Chapter 3:

The next weekend came pretty damn fast. Jamie spent every minute she could with Alex. She was so certain that it'd be so hard to live without him. She had been dating Alex for about three years now. Alex was only eleven when he realized that he totally loved her. Jamie and Alex were kinda unique as they were more mature than most people in there grade or at their age. For instance, they practically always wanted to be with someone, (a boyfriend or girlfriend) and they always felt the need to like someone for some reason, they understood love. They knew what it meant to be in love, and they knew what it felt like to be rejected or dumped. But any other pre-teen that was dumped, really didn't give a shit. Basically, they didn't care as they knew that they were too young for a boyfriend or girlfriend anyways.

"Alex… baby, I love you soo much…" She whispered into his ear as she sat on his lap with his arm wrapped around her waist, holding her up on the chair with him in his bedroom. He looked into her eyes, lovingly. Tears formed in her eyes as he kissed her lightly on her lips. And whispered back, "I have always loved you, Jamie." He said, hugging her tightly while her in his lap.

Jamie fought strongly to keep the tears blinked back, but they ran down her cheeks like a waterfall. She loved him so much, she really didn't want to lose him.

"Aww, sunshine, don't cry, it's all going to be okay, I promise you." He kissed her gently on the forehead as he said this.

"Alex, don't even try…" a voice came from the shadows of his bedroom.

"Katie?" Alex sort of recognized the voice.

Katie stepped out of the shadows… "Look, I'm sorry Alex, I know this is hard for you too, but Alex, you must understand that Jamie is really going to miss you when you leave…" She said softly and quietly.

"She won't ever stop feeling the pain and sadness of you moving almost 15 hours away and not coming back to visit for a long time. Yes, I realize that you guys always talk on MSN and always will, and letters, and maybe even the phone… But, you might find a better girl in Ontario, not that there's anyone better than my little sister, that is." She continued.

Alex sighed. He didn't know what to say. He knew it was going to be hard for his girlfriend, but he was never going to find anyone better than Jamie because, it's simple, there was none better.

When Jamie left Alex's house and walked across the street to her own house, she directly went up to her bedroom and slammed the door shut, suddenly her knee's felt weak. She fell to the ground and leaned up against her door, and cried. She couldn't handle all the pain that she was feeling deep inside of her. Finally at dinnertime, she left her room, but just to go downstairs to the kitchen and get her supper, when she fetched it, she ran back up the stairs to her bedroom and again, she sat against the door and ate it.

After dinner, she unhappily laid on her bed, and hugged closely her stuffed pig, Snuggles. She had cried for a few minutes, but then realized, what good would crying do? It'd just make her feel more miserable… so she scrapped the idea of crying. Her eyes couldn't help but wander the room and land on her telephone on the night stand. Jamie was wondering if she should call Alex, and apologize about earlier… but she figured that he'd call her soon anyways. So she thought she'd just wait.

Jamie snapped out of her day dreaming while snuggling Snuggles. She sort of jumped when she heard the phone ring. She leaned over, picked it up and held the reciver to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Jamie…Are you okay, everything's fine?Want me to come over?" Alex said, talking really fast and was hard to understand.

"Whoa, slow down there, cowboy…Everything's okay…I'm okay…And I really don't care if you come over or not…But whatever…It's your choice…"

"Jamie, babe, It seems like I'm going away forever, But I'm not, hunny, I'll always be there for you. I love you…" He said, "I'll always love you, Jamie. Your my everything…" He continued.

She smiled. That was the first time she'd managed to smile without forcing herself in a long time.

"I love you too, Alex. Without you, I'd be nothing." She smiled as she spoke. She stared hard out the window to Alex's home. Most of their stuff was all packed up and ready to go. A moving van was parked out in the driveway, probably full of their junk…

Alex smirked… He thought hard for a moment and nobody said anything over the phone for like five long, tiring minutes. Finally, Alex spoke, "Jamie, I'm not going."

"What?"

"I'm not going."

"Huh? What are you talking about, Alex."

"Jamie, I said I'm not going."

"Going WHERE!" She demanded.

"I'm not going to move with my parents like everyone planned. I'm staying here. I'll rent an apartment if I have to. Just to stay here. I've lived here my whole life, I'm not about to just go throw it all away just for a silly move. I'm sorry, If I don't make sense, hun, but I've got my mind set. I'm NOT moving!" He declared, pleased with himself.

"But what are you to tell your parents, Alex, they won't let you stay here, will they?" She asked, confused and suprised at the same time.

Alex sighed. He hadn't thought about that…

"Wow, you really know how to crush an awesome moment, don't you, Jam?" He laughed.

She laughed in reply. It was the first time he heard her laugh in a while. Jamie had been SO upset over Alex's move that she hadn't wanted to smile nor laugh.

Saturday Morning…?

Well, Saturday morning wasn't too great for anyone, Alex had trouble sleeping on his couch that night, wondering about what he was going to tell his parents about him not going to move with them to Ontario, He knew they'd get pissed if he told them flat-out that he wasn't going. So he had to think of an easier way on all of them. The weekend had been pretty stressful and this didn't help it much now either.

Alex sighed, got up from his desk in his bedroom… and walked towards the door. He kept wondering if it WAS such a good idea to stay behind after all. Where was he going to live? Could he move in with the Martin's? Or would he HAVE to go to Ontario not by choice…? He really loved Jamie, and all the Martin's for that matter…But, then again, he had to make an important decision, his parents, or his girlfriend? He knew he'd always pick his girlfriend in a choice like no other, but he thought that this was a bigger decision. Like his parents would be moving almost fifteen hours away! He took a deep breath then opened his door, walked out and closed it behind him. Taking another deep breath, he climbed the stairs and found his parents. He looked at them for a few moments…

"Alex, is everything packed up now?"

"Just about…" He answered his mother, Emma Shaw.

"Okay, is Jamie going to come over and say good-bye or what?" His father asked, coming down the stairs. Alex shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"I don't control her, Dad, if she wants to come over then she is welcome, if she doesn't want to, then oh well…" He drifted off…

Alex was now back up to his bedroom and he hadn't said a word to his parents about him staying behind. He sat on the empty floor and sighed deeply… He jumped when he heard the door-bell ring. He quickly got up, and went downstairs to answer the door. Alex hoped to hell it was Jamie on the other side of the door.

Sighing, he pulled open the door and saw Jamie. He slightly smiled. He loved the way she always looked, her long, brunette hair always down… past her shoulders, almost to her bottom… He just really liked how she barely brushed her hair, and always wore either black or white clothes, she wasn't dull… but then again she wasn't colorful either. Besides, she was a cheerleader, but none the less, she always wore black eye-liner, and barely any lipstick… Now, Alex was a tall, young man who was about 6'2 or 6'3, he had dirty blonde hair… but he was going to dye it black soon…or as he thought, but if he did, the memories of Jamie would always flow through his mind if he was forced to move to Ontario with his parents.

Alex noticed that Jamie had tears in her eyes as she spoke, "Hey Alex…All packed up and ready to go, I see…How'd it go with your parents? Did they say yes!" She asked excitedly.

"Whoa, babe, SLOW down! I didn't exactly tell them that I was staying here in Hartland, yet…" He admitted.

"Alex!" She exclaimed, feeling her excitement start to fade.

"I'm sorry, Jamie, I meant to mention it…but they kinda scare me… like they have their fucking hearts set to do this move, then out of the blue I just come out and say, "Yeah Mom, Dad, I'm not going…" How do you think they'd react to that!" He asked trying to stay quiet.

"Well.. Your right.." She sighed as she leaned against the door frame.

"…Will you come with me to tell them? My parent's sort of frighten me in a way…" He said, sighing.

She smiled. "Sure…" She said, taking his hand, and walked inside. Alex closed the door shut and then guided their way to the Kitchen where their parents were.

"Mom, Dad, Jamie and I have to talk to you…" He said, lowering his head to the ground, looking at his shoes.

"What is it, son?" His father asked, looking up from the kitchen table which was to stay behind from the move.

"Well… I was thinking, and.." Alex couldn't go on… he was too scared, too frightened to speak his mind, to tell the truth.

"Aww m'dear, what's wrong?" His mother asked, puzzled.

"Well, Mr. And Mrs. Shaw, I understand that you and your husband plan on taking Alex to Ontario with you…?" Jamie asked. She already knew but she couldn't think of anything else on the spot they had put her on.

Mrs. Shaw frowned. She glanced from Alex, her husband, to Jamie.

"Well yes, dear, that was the plan…Why?" She said, still confused.

"Oh.." Jamie pretended to giggle at her own "mistake".

"Hmm… Would it be a problem if Alex stayed behind, back in Hartland, and came to live with my family?" She asked, with a questioning smile on her face. Alex, on the other hand, was impressed how fast and well Jamie could think of something to say to his parents.

Again, Mrs. Shaw frowned. And again, gave a puzzled and confused glance at Jamie and Alex.

"Alex?" His father inquired. Looking hard at Alex. Trying to get in the gaze of his eyes.

"Are you sure this is what you want, dear?" Mrs. Shaw asked her son. Hoping to hell that it wasn't at all what he wanted.

Alex nodded.

"Your going to choose your girlfriend over your parents?" His father asked quietly…

"Alex I don't think this is such a good idea… After all, you ARE our son…" She said… her voice getting softer…

"Mom… Please? You guys never asked me if I wanted to go to Ontario with you, you TOLD me that I had to go… It's ridiculous…" He said, getting very annoyed…

"Alex Robert Shaw. Do NOT speak to your mother that way. She's right, your OUR son and you should have to go to Ontario with us. Jamie is just your girlfriend. Why would you choose your girlfriend over your parents!" Mr. Shaw questioned.

"Dad.. Jamie is NOT just my girlfriend. She's everything to me. She really does mean the world to me. I've known her all my life, she's wonderful." He said, putting his arm around her shoulders. Jamie smiled… she kept her eyes on Mr. And Mrs. Shaw for the silent five or so minutes there was. They stared back at her, puzzled and confused.

Mrs. Shaw stared at her son now. She walked over to Alex.

"Alex." She said. "IF this is really what you want… then stay, it's all your choice. But remember, once you stay, you can't go to Ontario to live with us afterwards."

"Fine. Then so be it. Why would I want to live with two people who just see my girlfriend as just a girl?" He inquired, staring hard into his mother's gaze.

Mrs. Shaw turned around to look at her husband. She smirked at him. She figured that would make Alex want to go with them. Alex's parent's never really agreed with the idea of Alex dating the girl next door. They didn't think much of her, they said that she wasn't pretty. With her brunette hair, blue eyes, perfect lips… Alex always thought that his parents were so jealous of her. He really thought she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever saw… but his parents saw different, he guessed.

"I'm not going." He finally answered, certainly.